Deputies Respond to Assist Self-Harming Student at an Adelanto Charter School

ADELANTO – Deputies from the Victor Valley/Adelanto Sheriff’s station responded to a call for assistance at the Antelope Valley Learning Academy, formerly known as Alta Vista Public Charter School on Thursday. At around 11:25 p.m. school officials at the school located at 12100 Palmdale Road, #B6, called 911 to report that a student was cutting himself with a large knife in the parking lot of the school. Several deputies responded to the location to find the 18-year-old male student with multiple lacerations on his arms. With the training and experience of the deputies, they were able to convince the victim to drop the knife. Emergency medical personnel responded to the school and provided aid to the student and transported him to the hospital for further medical treatment and a psychological evaluation. No other injuries were reported as a result of the incident. Those who have friends or family members who exhibit self-mutilating behaviors should be aware that “cutters” or others who participate in this behavior typically, contrary to common thinking, are not suicidal and are not injuring themselves for attention. For many people, especially preteens and teens, cutting or other self-mutilating behaviors are used as a coping mechanism for an extremely painful life event or mental pain so severe it feels unbearable, or as a distraction for severe mental anguish. Those who care about these individuals should offer support including an open ear, a shoulder to cry on, a hug, without judgment or unprofessional advice.

Anyone participating in self-mutilating activities should seek help from the Community Crisis Response Team (CCRT), or should walk in to the local Crisis Walk-In Clinic. Anyone who just needs someone to talk to can call 1-800-273-8255.